Nonskid shoe attachment



Aug 3937a J.'H. MERCER ET AL. 2,090,763

NONS KID SHOE ATTACHMENT Filed May 2, 1936 {V W A? 1 effizs HEN/Q) MEecE Jrvcw Jlves.

Patented Aug. 24, 1 937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE NONSKID SHOE ATTACHIHENT Application May 2, 1936, Serial No. 77,493

2 Claims.

This invention refers to shoes and more particularly to attachments for the shoes or boots of loggers, to enable them to stand securely on logs and other rugged surfaces. It has, among 5 its objects, the provision of a flexible, light, yet strong attachment that may be securely fastened to the shoes or boots of the user, to enable him to walk, roll, or stand on floating or stationary logs and surfaces with safety.

Devices have been used in the past to prevent slipping on conventional road surfaces and are called creepers, but these do not meet the conditions arising in logging. The loggers are compelled to ride timber logs of all sizes and conditions and positions. The use of creepers for this purpose does not suit the situation. Ap-

plicants device, by reason of being preferably made of wire construction, provides a flexible shoe that will resiliently bend and give to suit any of the conditions, while the spikes provided on projecting ends of the wire serve to dig into the logs or surfaces securely. They also cover the whole surface of the bottom of the shoe and yet are light. The heel portion is arranged to 5 grip the heel and back of the loggers shoe or boot, to allow the leg of the user to exert a desirable leverage for detaching or inserting the spikes, as well as bend the wire framing to suit the contour of the logs, or surfaces. The spikes also have a springing action which serves to prevent their breaking off, afford a better frictional action, and more quickly disengage.

In the construction shown in the drawing: Figure 1 is a general plan view of logging shoe attachment looking down on the upper and inner side of same.

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation along the line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a view along the line 3-3 of Figure 1, and

Figure 4 is a view along the line 44 of Figure 1. Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the drawing.

A frame I preferably of wire is formed to the general conventional shape of the sole of a shoe or boot, with its toe portion 2 rounded; the ball-.

' into the wood of logs, timber, etc. with some resiliency. The braces are more numerously and closely placed on the sole portion of the frame, to take up the wear where it is normally greatest. A center member ill of wire is provided to reinform the braces and stiffen the whole frame. This center member is tied-in with the braces through the coils ll twisted around it, as shown. The center member extends from the tip of the toe portion to the front of the heel, and is given a slight bend to conform with the left or right outline of the foot; and assist in the action of the device. A heel chair I2 is arranged above the main plane of the frame I, and bends around so as to engage the heel of the shoe or boot of the user, starting at its uprights l3 disposed near the front of the heel. Additional uprights l4 coiled about the wire of the heel chair and frame I serve to resiliently strengthen this portion.

Straps I 5 are provided for securing the frame to the front portion of the user's shoe, and straps I6 for the portion close to the heel. With this arrangement of two sets of straps as indicated and the heel chair for the heel, the device can be substantially and rigidly attached. I

It should be noted that the frame is fiat across the bottom of the shoe and is unbroken from toe to heel. This enables the device to be stamped down on a log, and any give near the middle due to the curvature of the log, etc. tends to make the frame hold tighter onto the shoe of the user.- On relieving this pressure, there is a tendency for the spikes to lift out. This action may be made clearer by analyzing the movement of the sole of the frame with its spikes. When the sole of the attachment is laid fiat on a flat surface its spikes are disposed perpendicularlyv downwards and tend to enter the surface at right angles to' it. If, however, the surface is convexly curved, the wire frame is bent around same more or less, which brings the spikes around radially projecting into same. If the foot is moved in either direction, it will press the spikes like a-flsh-hook on one part of the arc into the surface, and make the attachment more tightly attached to same. This continues as long as the sole is bent or arched. This same action is also true of all spikes of the coils I I, a feature which enables the logger to run on the logs, or roll them, without catching or locking the spikes in the same. It permits quick and active movement on the part of the user, while effectively preventing him from losing his grip on the log, or other surface, sufficiently to cause him to slip off. The variation in the surfaces walked on by the logger is taken up by the,

device through its natural tendency to bend or warp to suit same. Since the device is held on securely and cannot move relatively with the shoe, it afiords a very tightly held-on device that cooperates thoroughly with the skill of the user and gives him a very desirable confidence in its use. The center member ID is very effective in reinforcing the frame as well as preventing it from losing its shape, as it holds the braces in place, and the toe 2 from lengthening out.

While but one form of the invention is indicated in the drawing it is not desired to limit this application for patent to this particular form, otherwise than limited by the prior art, as it is appreciated that other forms of construction could be used that would employ the same principles and come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A device of the class described comprising in combination a flat sandal wire frame formed in the outline of the sole of a foot, a central member of wire secured to the toe portion of the outline and passing therefrom down the middle of the frame and stopping in front of the heel portion, a plurality of wire braces transversely disposed across the side of the frame and entwined about the wires of the sides and central member and-spaced in close proximity to each other to divide the ball portion of the frame into a relatively large number of sections, a plurality of spikes extending downwardly from said braces, a plurality of braces for the heel portion of the frame having spikes extending therefrom, a heel saddle of wire for holding the heel of a shoe, and foot attaching means at the heel and toe portions of the frame.

2. A device of the class described comprising in combination a flat sandal wire frame formed in the outline of the sole of a foot, a central member attached to the toe portion thereof and looped over to provide a resilient toe spike, and its other end portion terminating in front of the heel portion and twisted into a loop, a plurality of spaced wire braces extending in close array from side to side of the frame and with their end portions looped around the said sides and extending down :as spikes therefrom, and their middle portions looped around the central member, one of the braces being looped by the end portion of the central member, a plurality of spaced braces at the heel portion having their end portions extending downwardly as spikes therefrom and loops formed by the braces engaging the wire frame sides, and foot holding straps attached to the frame at the heel and toe portions thereof. 

